Combined hoop and tethered ball



Oct. 24, 1967 CASCQQL! 3,348,333

COMBINED HOOP AND TETHERED BALL Filed Dec. 28, 1965 INVENOR Case/00' BY E M ATTORNEY United States Patent Filed Dec. 28, 1965, Ser. No. 517,037 Claims. (CI. 4651) This invention relates generally to an amusement device. More particularly, this invention relates to a toy which can be revolved or gyrated, so as to cause a satellite body associated therewith to travel around the periphery thereof. I

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel amusement device which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, durable in service, and affording amusement or diversion to children.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel amusement device which is easily operated to cause a satellite body associated therewith to travel around the periphery thereof.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a novel amusement device which may be worn around the waist of the operator, or which may be held in the hands of the operator, and which is operated by revolving or gyrating the same.

Other and further objects of this invention will become apparent during the course of the following description and by reference to the accompanying drawing and the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawing, in which like numerals represent like parts in the several views:

FIGURE 1 represents a plan view of the amusement device, partially broken away to more clearly show certain details of construction.

FIGURE 2 represents an elevation of the amusement device, showing the hoop portion in section taken along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 represents an elevation of the hoop portion of the amusement device showing one method of joining together the ends of the said hoop portion.

FIGURE 4 represents, on a reduced scale, another method of joining together the ends of the hoop portion and of insuring proper alignment of the peripheral slot around the said hoop portion, taken from that side of the said hoop portion opposite the said slot.

FIGURE 5 represents a section taken along the line 55 of FIGURE 6.

The amusement device comprises a tubular hoop portion 1 having a slot 2 extending completely and continuously around the outer periphery thereof as shown in the drawings. A satellite body 3, preferably in the form of a ball and preferably weighted, is secured, in any suitable manner to one end of a cord 4. The other end of cord 4 extends into slot 2 and is secured, also in any suitable manner, to a retainer or stop disc 5.

Retainer 5 is of dimension large enough to avoid passing through slot 2, and is preferably of material having a low coeflicient of friction on the material of hoop portion 1, thereby to permit said retainer 5 to freely slide around the inside of hoop portion 1 when the amusement device is operated as hereinafter described. Preferably, retainer 5 has a convex surface adjacent hoop portion 1.

The thickness of the wall of hoop portion 1 has been somewhat exaggerated in the drawings for purposes of clarity. Actually, commercially avail-able tubular material from which hoop portion 1 can be formed has a relatively smaller wall thickness in comparison with that shown in the drawings so that, if the ends of the hoop portion 1 are joined together as shown in FIGURES 1 and 3, the wall thickness of the inner telescoped end of hoop portion 1 should not obstruct free passage through the said hoop portion 1 of retainer 5 when the latter is travelling clockwise relative to the said hoop portion 1 as viewed in FIGURE 1. If the retainer 5 has the preferred convex face engaging hoop portion 1 as hereinabove mentioned, this will facilitate passage of retainer 5 around hoop portion I particularly in the above mentioned clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 1.

The ends of hoopportion 1 can be joined together in any manner other than that specifically shown herein so long as the continuity of slot 2 around the periphery of hoop portion 1 is maintained as shown in FIGURE 3. Many modes of making the joint at the ends of hoop portion 1 will readily occur to one of ordinary skill in this art. For instance, after retainer 5 with cord 4 attached thereto has been installed in hoop portion 1, the ends of said hoop portion 1 may be cemented together in a butt joint. Another advantageous mode of completing the joint is to butt together the ends of hoop portion 1 and to hold together the said ends by means of a split tubular section or collar, the split being wide enough to clear slot 2. It is preferred that a non-permanent jointure of the ends of hoop portion 1 be made so as to permit repairs in the event that cord 4 is disconnected from retainer 5 and also to permit the said hoop portion 1 to be worn around the waist of an operator when this mode of operation is desired.

Hoop portion 1 is preferably made in a circular form as shown in FIGURE 1, although it may be desired to utilize other closed curvilinear figures such as ellipses.

If the amusement device is to be worn around the waist of the operator, it may be desired to provide a buckle and strap (not shown) or any other suitable means to hold the said amusement device to the body of the wearer, it being understood that slot 2 must be unobstructed thereby to insure successful operation of the said amusement device. Depending upon the circumference of the hoop portion 1 and the girth of the operator, the hoop portion 1 may not require auxiliary means to hold it on the body of the wearer.

Alternatively, the hoop portion 1 may be hand held and so actuated by the operator. In this event, suitable handle means (not shown) may be provided to be grasped by the hands of the operator without interfering with the continuity of slot 2.

In operation, hoop portion 1, whether hand held or Worn about the waist of the operator, is caused to gyrate or revolve (i.e., the center of hoop portion 1, as viewed in FIGURE 1, travels around a path which may, for example, be a circle). This causes satellite body 3 to fly outwardly and away from hoop portion 1 and around the periphery of hoop portion 1, continuously so long as hoop portion 1 is so actuated, cord 4 being pulled taut. It will be apparent that retainer 5 will travel around the inside of hoop portion 1 following or in step with the passage of satellite body 3.

Advantageously, the structure shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 may be employed to insure the continuity of slot 2 past the joint between the ends of hoop portion 1. Thus, one end of hoop portion 1 is provided with spaced perforations 6, and the other end of hoop portion 1 is provided with ratchet teeth 7, spaced similarly to perforations 6. One end of hoop portion 1, carrying the ratchet teeth 7, is telescoped into the other end of hoop portion I carrying spaced perforations 6, and the two ends may be telescoped as desired, which is particularly useful when the amusement device is worn around the waist of an operator, the ratchet teeth 7 firmly securing the two ends of the said hoop portion 1. Perforations 6 and ratchet teeth 7 are so oriented wtih respect to slot 2 that, when the ratchet teeth 7 are engaged in perforations 6, the continuity or alignment of slot 2 past the joint between the ends of hoop portion 1 is maintained as shown particularly in 3 FIGURE 5. It will be apparent that ratchet teeth 7 can be released from perforations 6 when desired, simply by squeezing that end of hoop portion 1 carrying the said ratchet teeth 7 so as to contract the adjacent slot 2, and then withdrawing one end of hoop portion 1 from the other end thereof.

While I have shown the best embodiment of my invention now known to me, I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction herein shown and described, but may include such substitutions, modifications and equivalents as are embraced by this specification, drawing and claims.

I claim:

1. An amusement device comprising:

(a) a hoop portion in the form of a closed curvilinear figure, said hoop portion being hollow and having a peripheral slot extending completely and continuously around its outer periphery,

(b) retainer means within said hollow hoop portion and adapted to slidably engage the inner surface thereof, said retainer means being of dimension large enough to avoid passing through said slot when said device is in operation,

(c) a satellite body,

((1) cord means secured at one end to said satellite body and at the other end to said retainer means, said cord means passing through said slot,

(e) whereby revolution of said hoop portion will cause said satellite body to fly away from and continuously around the periphery of said hoop portion.

2. An amusement device as in claim 1, further corn prising:

(f) said hoop portion being in the form of a closed circle. 5 3. An amusement device as in claim 1, further comprising:

(f) said satellite body being a ball.

4. An amusement device as in claim 1, further comprising:

(f) that portion of said retainer means engaging the inner surface of said hoop portion being a convex surface.

5. An amusement device as in claim 1, further comprising:

(f) said hoop portion having two ends, one of said ends telescoping into the other of said ends,

(g) means on the ends of said hoop portion maintaining the alignment of said slot past the said two ends.

672,590 10/1963 Canada. 1,154,383 9/1963 Germany.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

R. F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN AMUSEMENT DEVICE COMPRISING: (A) A HOOP PORTION IN THE FORM OF A CLOSED CURVILINEAR FIGURE, SAID HOOP PORTION BEING HOLLOW AND HAVING A PERIPHERAL SLOT EXTENDING COMPLETELY AND CONTINUOUSLY AROUND ITS OUTER PERIPHERY, (B) RETAINER MEAN WITHIN SAID HOOP PORTION AND ADAPTED TO SLIDABLY ENGAGE THE INNER SURFACE THEREOF, SAID RETAINER MEANS BEING OF DIMENSION LARGE ENOUGH TO AVOID PASSING THROUGH SAID SLOT WHEN SAID DEVICE IS IN OPERATION, (C) A SATELLITE BODY, (D) CORD MEANS SECURED AT ONE END TO SAID SATELLITE BODY AND AT THE OTHER END TO SAID RETAINER MEANS, SAID CORD MEANS PASSING THROUGH SAID SLOT, (E) WHEREBY REVOLUTION OF SAID HOOP PORTION WILL CAUSE SAID SATELLITE BODY TO FLY AWAY FROM AND CONTINUOUSLY AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF SAID HOOP PORTION. 